I my opinion JFK attempted to change the direction the country was heading and his death if anything sent the process further the other way.

For some this was a tragedy and for others a blessing.

For me it was a tragedy, however, it provided the spark that led to the widespread distrust in government. In the early 60's few questioned our leaders or the course the country was taking. It was considered unpatriotic to question even the most controversial actions. America, love it or leave it was the catch phrase. JFK's killing and the way it was "handled" was a watershed moment in that line of thought.

Vietnam, an event that would have played out far differently had JFK not been killed in Dallas, gave additional momentum to the distrust trend.

MLK and RFK added a bit more weight to the scale.

Then came Watergate and Iran/Contragate. Both of the events had their own versions of the Warren Commission. These events were followed by the events of 9-11 and its Commission, which led to the Patriot Act, the Iran War, and lets not forget the war in Afghanistan.

The Warren Commission, both the report and the volumes provided tools to attempt to figure out what happened. The discrepancy between the two in terms of the reasonable conclusions to be made, helped inspire the Garrison investigation.

The insight coming out of New Orleans helped inspire the Church Committee and that lead to the HSCA. These events provided more insight into both what happened and how things are "handled."

Distrust and disgust over the pardoning of RMN by Ford of Warren Commission fame, gave us Carter. It also greatly reduced the probability that we would ever know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, in terms of what was going on.

Distrust inspired in part by JFK and Watergate led to a Freedom of Information Act under Carter. The FOIA provided a tool for smaller, private investigations of these seminal moments in history.

While providing little in the way of proof, it is the "coincidences", connections, and parallels that tie these events, that prove most interesting. The connections between the Bay of Pigs and JFK. The connections between JFK and WATERGATE. The connections between The "Commissions" are more clear than one might think.

JFK through its notorious Warren Commission, provided both a spark to dig deeper and a window to look through. Without 11-22-63, the capacity to understand how the world works would be greatly diminished.

It never ceases to amaze me how much one lone nut can change the course of history. steve

_________________Mixing Pop and Politics he asks me what the use isI offer him embarrassment and my usual excusesWhile looking down the corridorOut to where the van is waitingI'm looking for the Great Leap Forward Billy Bragg-----------------------------Australians don't mind criminals: It's successful bullshit artists we despise. Lachie Hulme -----------------------------The Cold War ran on bullshit. Me